You may have to go with an O/U. Probably a purpose built 20 ga as they will be lighter and slimmer than a 12. I did some work on an older Beretta O/U a week or so ago for a guy. It was perfectly built for a lady shooter. Had a raised cheek and everything and extremely trim at the wrist. Whole thing with 26" tubes weighed about 5 pounds.

You could always consider going with a shorter barrel. General consensus on shotguns for sporting competition have at least 28" barrels but it Just isnt the case nowadays. Propellants are so much more efficient and load components too that you can get excellent performance from a short barreled shotgun. I shoot clays with a 20" SXS and a 19" pump. both 12 gauges, and do pretty well.

If you took that 1100 and had the barrel shortened to 20 or 22" and the chokes re-installed youd easily shave a pound or so off the weight and it would help the balance tremendously.

Point im getting at here is its very difficult for a small stature shotgunner such as yourself to get into the sport cost effectively. You will most likely need some custom fitting to realize your full performance potential and that can get very pricey. Sticking with the rem 1100 if you can will keep the less expensive aftermarket parts available to you, and help keep you on the line shooting clay birds.

my skeet buddy shoots a tube gun O/U that has a custom built stock, it's got a slip on external piece and it's got a recoil dampener inside; shooting full power 12g tubes in it, feels like a 28g or less.

If you can find an Ithica model 37 in 20g, those things are super light, lightest pump I've ever held.

If you're not objected to a .410, I have a Verona LX 501 that is very light but well balanced and is a fantastic skeet gun. I think they're about $1200 or so new if you can find one. There's a nice Russian .410 O/U out there that is around $600 I think.

I guess my point initially was to say that I will ask my buddy this Thursday what the name of the place was that did his stock; I think somewhere in AZ? It wasn't cheap but it really is amazing. Sounds like weight is more the issue though?

the autos will be a bit heavier than their respective pump counterparts. but a pump is not really the 'preferred' gun for skeet (unless you ask me!)

I would look at the youths for certain, smaller and lighter overall. 20g will certainly shave some more weight off as well and is common enough to shoot on the cheap. it's ridiculous that .410 and 28 are so expensive.

I will have someone show me skeet and then have someone show me trap and try different shotguns then decide i think i am jumping the gun. why don't they have ranges where u can try out shotguns?????????

the place I shoot at has all kinds of guns, pumps, autos and over unders, mostly 12 and some 20g's. Maybe worth travelling to another range for a day that offers rentals. Most folks are agreeable to letting someone try their gun though too, I never have an issue sharing my boomstick with someone who either doesn't have one yet or forgot theirs.

If my regular skeet buddies don't show, I have no issue walking up to anyone on the range and butting into whatever they're shooting and never had anyone turn me down unless of course they're already at 5 capacity. (and even then I've been invited in to shoot)

your arm doesnt get tired. you pump on recoil, thus using the inertia of the shotgun recoiling rearward to do most of the pumping. A practiced pump shotgunner can sling shot just as quickly and accurately as an autoloader.

Beth.. I thought you did get the Youth. I hadnt even fathomed you getting ahold of a full sized 1100. A youth 20 ga will be perfect for you. They are smaller and lighter.